Process of and apparatus for making sanitary metal cans



July 19, 1927. 1,536,103

A. MOORE PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SANITARY METAL CANS Original FiledApril 15. 1922 4 sheetkshsat 1 V i A 5 \6 Z 2 9 4 4o I 33 I w 41 57- P gm 43 n1: 'ZEQ 5I/ fi 1 g- UT .z9 l 45 T INVENTOR ATTORNEY 4 1,636,103 July 19, 1927. A. MOORE PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS-FOR MAKING SANITARY METAL CANS Original Filegl April 15.1922 4 Sheet-Shet -2 INVENTOR' Z6 BY ATTORNEY July 19, 1927. A. MOORE PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING smx'umr um, CANS Original Filed April 15. 1922 4 sheets-Sheet 3 Ill 31 b 7 I I v 5! '.u\\\\\wv//; ll INVENTOR Z9. .BY W

A TTORNEY July 19, 1927.

A. MOORE PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SANITARY METAL CANS brig inal Filed April 15.1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 5 I v w 45 22 22' I 24 Z4 2/ J3 '22. 220 "7E7 50 I 1 25 26) r- I I 22 2? Z1 Z3 Z0 mvENTok 1 A ORNEY The next step consists in turning these folded over parts of the heading seam shown at the left hand portion of Fig. 6 a second time, bringing same from the position shown at the right hand portion of Fig. 7 (this is the same position as shown at the. left hand portion of Fig. 6) to the position shown at the left hand portion of Fig. 7. The bend line for this turning operation preferably comes at substantially the middle of the lid flange 24, as will be apparent from Fig. 7 of the drawing. When this is done a seam is formed about the end of the can which, in the case of the can body being made of a single thickness of sheet metal, comprises five layers of metal, as shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, with the portion 25 originally forming the extreme outer edge of the can body in the center of the five-ply seam so made up. i

a his marginal seam is subjected to high pressure applied both to the sides and to the end of the seam, while the can body is firmly held by means of the shoulder 21, thus bringing the parts into the relative positions shown in Fig. 90f the drawings. The pressure applied is preferably sufficiently great to cause an actual flowing or elongation of the metal, resulting in the filling out of all open spaces in the seam with the metal to produce .substantially a thick, heavy ring about 'the can head, as shown at 26, Fig. 9. In this way the parts are forced into such intimate contact that a junction is secured equivalent in effect to the formation about the can head of a welded ring of substantial thickness and great mechanical strength. The metal parts of the ring seam 26 being in intimate con'tact throughout an extended surface comprising a number of reversed bends or folds, make a completely air tight seal, and gaskets, linings or the like heretofore required are completely dispensed with.

It will be seen that in the formation of the completed seam certain portions of the metal making up the seam are turned over through an arc of as much as 270; to a complete circle of 360, part 25 ofthe can body, for example, being turned overin the finished position to the full extent last named to lie substantially parallel to and to extend in the same direction as in its original position shownat the right hand portion of Fig. 6 of the drawings.

In the drawings I havei'llustrated the es sential parts of one form of apparatus for carrying out the process of the present invention. .Such showing is illustrative only and for the purpose of showing apparatus by which the process may be carried :out.

Means are provided in the illustrative apparatus for supplying the cans to the heading device to be described shortly. In the form shown, the can 27 when delivered to the heading device is supported in the rotatable holder 28 and has the lid 23 inserted in place therein. Holder 26 may form part of an automatic conveyor, if desired, as is customarily used with can sealing machines. It will be understood that the closure scaming operation may be applied to put the bottom in an'unheaded can body, or may be utilized to seam the lid in place in completing the operation of making a can or sealing a can after it has been filled, or for other purposes.

Means are provided for firmly and securely holding the can in place during the op era-tion of making the heading seam. In the form shown, the can is received and held by a plurality of jaws 29, 29. Four such jaws are shown in the drawings, each extending through 90 of a circle, and the holding faces 30 of such jaws 29 have a shoulder 31 formed therein, adapted to support the can 27 by means of the shoulder 21 formed on the can body. The height of the holding portion 32 of the jaws 29 above the shoulders 31 preferably determines the depth of the heading seam 26 made in the completed can.

Resilient means are provided for normally holding the said jaws 29 in'open position. In the construction shown, the jaws 29 are supported in the encircling ring 33 by means of bolts 3t,\Vl1lCl1 bolts 34 are pushed outwardly by the springs 35. The ring 33 is mounted to turn in its supporting head 36 in any desired way, and if desired, ball bear ings 37 may be supplied for this purpose, the head 36 being preferably non-rotatable.

Guide means in addition to the bolts 34; are preferably provided for guiding the clamping jaws 29 in their movement in and out with respect to the ring 33. In the form shown, the jaws 29 are each provided with a central lug or tailpiece 38 which work in slots 39 formed in the under surface of ring 33.

Means are provided for moving the jaws 29' inwardly against the action of spring to clamp the jaws about the end of the can tohold the same securely in place. In the form shown, the means utilized for this purpose serve also to impart rotation to the jaws 29. and the ring which turns therewith. The device provided for this purpose. as shown. comprises the rotary and reciprocatory hollow cylinder 40, adapted to turn and slide in abearing 4;1 provided therefor in the supporting head 36. The cylinder 40 is provided with a plurality of downwardly extending pro ections 42; wedge-shaped attheir lower ends, as shown at 4-3 in Fig. 1,

adapted to enter notches 44 formed in the jaws 29 and likewise ha ving wedge-shaped or inclined surfaces 45 adapted to be engaged by thewedge-shaped surfaces 43 when the cylinder 40 is depressed, thus forcing the ill?) jaws 29 inwardly to clamp and hold the can. The range of longitudinal movement of the cylinder 40 is limited, so that at no time are. the downwardly extending fingers 42 completely withdrawn from the notches- 4:4: in the jaws 29, and thus the cylinder 40,

jaws 29 and ring 33 rotate together.

Rotationmay be imparted to the reciprocabl'e cylinder 40 in any desirable way, as, for

present drawings, it should be understood, ,however, that relative rotation between the can and the seam turning and forming devices maybe secured n any desired way. as by having one thereof stationary and the other rotating, or having each rotating in "right hand portion 0 opposite directions, or in other ways.

In forming the turned over seam a roller 48 is used. The longitudinal" axis of the roller 48 is preferably arranged in a plane at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the can, and such roller 48 is so located and directed that the can rotates, the roller 48 comes in contact with the upstanding edge of the can body and later with the partially folded seam to turn the same inwardly. In the form shown, the longitudinal axis of the roller 48 is so located with respect to the'periphery of the can as to form a chord of the circular peri hery ofthe can, part of the roller towart one end extending outwardly beyond the peri hery of the can and another part toward tie other end extending inwardly beyond the eriphcry of the can, as sho'wnclea'rly int e sectional view of Fig.2. The are of the chord formed by the axis of roller 48 is always under one-tlnrd of the can body'circumference and is preferably located as indicated by section line 5-5, Fig. 2. A second roller 49 turning on a vertical axis, that is, an axis at right angles to the longitudinal axis of roller 48 or parallel with the axis of the can body, is mounted 'on the same arm 50 that carries the roller 48 and serves to complete the turning over of the seam p rts, as will be apparent from the showingo Figs. 5, 6 and 7. Arm 50 is secured'to shaft fiO? by which it is operatedby any suitable control mechanism. i i i The turning of the portion '25 of the can body over from the fposition shown at the Fig. 6' to the position shown at the left hand portion thereof may shoulder 21, as stated above.

be'accomplished' either by a slow or by arelatively rapid depression of the arm 50 carrying} therollers 48 and 49, the arm 50 being held 'to bring the roller 49 outwardly against the seam as same is being formed. After the seam has been thus partially formed, the arm 50- is fiiirthe'r depressed to make the second operation of turning the seam parts, as shown in Fig. 7, and in making this second operation on the seam it has been found desirable that the depression of arm 50 be relatively rapid 'orabrupt, so that the completed seam may be formed by turning over'the seam parts at the desired bending line aboutthe middle of the lid flange 24, as shown in Fig. 7.

After theseam parts have been turned into the position shown at the left hand portion of Fig. 7, high pressure is a 't liedthereto both radially from the axis 0 the can to the exterior, and longitudinally of the can at the extreme end of the heading seam, forming the completed seam as shown at 26 Fig. 9. i 7

The means provided for this purpose compi-ise' the roller havingthe part 52 adapted to'bearinwardly against the inner side of the seam 2b, and provided with the flange 5% adapted to apply similarly great pressure to form the end of the completed seam. The jaws '29 serve as a stop for the roller flange 53', so that the holding face 30 of the'j'aws 29 determines the heighto'f'sea'm 26 above the Such roller 51, comprising the parts 52 and 53, is meant cd onthe' shaft 54, which is rotatably supported as by ball bearings 55 in theeccentlic sleeve {id-which is adaptedto be turned.

a in its bearing-67, thus forcibly bringing the roller 51 into high pressure contact with the interior of the can seam and compressing i same under great pressure as it isheld by the claniping jaws 29 Application of'pressure longitudinallyupon the thrust bushing 57 serves to apply similarly great pressure lay-means of the roller flange 53 'to the outer edge or end of the/can seam, and the coinbined effect of pressure applied'in the manner described, whiclrmay be-suiticient to even cause an actual flowing Of-tll metal under pressure,results 1n the production of the finished seam '26 asshown in Fig.9 of the' drawings: p After the scam is completed, the eccentric sleeve 56 with its associate mechanism is withdriuvn upwardly, as is also the arm 50 with its associatedmechanism; The cylinder 430' being moved upwardly, releases the jaws 29 which are-eXpanded outwardly by the springs 35, thus freeing the can, which is withdrawn and a; new can substituted; and the operation as described may be repeated indefinitely. V

I claim: f 1: The processof securinglids to bodies of .sanitary metal cans, which comprises pro viding a can body having the end thereof outwardly expanded and providing a shoulder at the base of the expanded portion, supporting the can body against endwise move-- ment by supporting means applied to said shoulder, inserting within the expanded portion of the can body a lid having a peripheral flange thereon, the lid resting against such shoulder and the outer edge of the flange being received within the expanded portion of the can body which extends therebeyond, turning the extreme end portion of the can body inwardly over the lid flange and parallel thereto and into close contact therewith on the inner side, and turning over these parts a second time inwardly into parallel folds upon a fold line located at substantially the middle of the lid flange, and applying high radial and end wise pressure to the seam so formed while the can is supported by supporting means applied at said shoulder, whereby a heading seam is provided comprising live parallel :tolds of metal with the turned over extreme edge of the can body in the middle thereof and all the metal parts in close and intimate contact and union, thereby securing an effective seal and enabling gaskets, linings and the like to be dispensed with.

2. The process of securing heads to bodies of sanitary metal cans, which comprises providing a can body having an expanded end portion extending radially outward beyond the main part of the can body and a shoulder where said end portion joins the main part of the can body, supporting said 'an body by shouldered supporting means adapted to engage the shouldered portions (ViFlllG can body, and. seaming a lid to said can body while so supported.

3. The process of securing heads to bodies of metal cans, which comprises providing a can body with an outwardly extending shoulder near the end thereof and with a relativelv expanded end portion beyond said shoulder, placing a flanged. lid in the can body against said. shoulder, seaming the end of the can body and lid flange together by inwardly turning movement, and applying high pressure to the seam in the axial direction of the can, while supporting the can against such pressure by supporting means applied to the shoulder formed on the can body and extending beyond the shoulder to provide an annular abutment against application of radial pressure.

4. Apparatus for seaming heads to bodies ot sanitary cans, which comprises a roller extending across the edge of the can body, the roller axisforming a chord of the circle defined by the end of the can body, and means for rotating the can body with respect to the roller.

- .5. Apparatus for seaming heads to bodies of sanitary cans, which comprises a turning member extending horizontally across the edge of the can body on an axis forming a chord of the circle defined by the end of the can body and adapted to turn the edge of the can body inwardly over the flange of an inserted lid, a second roller having an axis substantially parallel to the can body axis adapted to force the turned edge flat against the lid flange, and means for causing rotation of the can body relative to the rollers.

6. Apparatus for seaming heads to bodies of sanitary cans, which comprises a pair of rollers having their axes at right angles to one another, one arranged with its axis forming a chord of the circle defined by the end of the can body and adapted to turn the edge of a can body inwardly and the other to force the turned edge flat against the lid flange and means for causing rotation of the can body relative to the rollers.

7. Apparatus for seaming heads to bodies of sanitary cans, comprising a pair of rollers having their axes at right angles and adapted first to turn the edges of the can body inwardly over the flange of an inserted lid and flat against the can body and next to turn the turned over edge and lid flange inwardly upon a fold line located at about the middle of the lid flange, means for causing rotation o'l the can body with respect to said rollers, and means for moving said rollers longitudinally with respect to the axis of the can body.

8. Apparatus for sealing a sanitary metal can, comprising means for clutching the can body with a. flanged line in place therein, a roller extending across the edge of the can body at an oblique angle and adapted to apply pressure to the edge portion of the can body for bending the edge over inwardly, means for aligning the fold with the wall of the can, and means for applying pressure to the folded metal to form an intimate union of the metal parts.

9. Apparatus for sealing a sanitary metal. can, comprising means for clutching the body of a can near the end to be sealed with a flanged lid in place therein, a roller positioned at an oblique angle relative to the edge of the can and adapted to bend said edge over, .a second roller aligned with the edge of the can and adapted to fold the edge into alignment with the wall of the can, means for moving said rollers axially of the can to produce a second inward folding of the seam parts, and means for applying pressure to the folded metal to form an intimate union of the metal parts.

10. Apparatus for sealing heads to bodies of sanitary metal cans, comprising a supporting arm Witha pair of rollers thereon having their axes at right angles to one another, one adapted to extend horizontally across the end of the can at an oblique angle, and the other a following roller adapted to force an edge turned over by the first roller into alignment with the can body Wall.

11. The process of forming a heading seam for sanitary metal cans, which comprises providing a can body with its end shouldered outwardly, supporting said can body by the shoulder in an annular exterior support having a corresponding shoulder formed thereon and extending therebeyond, the edge of the can body extending beyond the support, inserting a flanged lid to rest on said shoulder within the can body, turning over the can body edge and lid flange and means for rotating the can body with 30 respect to the turning member.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name hereto.

ARLINGTON MOORE. 

